Sherlock Holmes Detective Collection Blood Letters Research (Part 2)

VIII Travelers in the Desert

　　In the middle of the North American continent, there is a large arid and desolate desert; for many years, it has been an obstacle to cultural development. From the Sierra Nevada to Nibraska, from the Yellowstone River in the north to Colorado in the south, it is a completely desolate (1) (2) area of silence. But in this cool and terrible area, the scenery of nature is not the same. There are snow-capped mountains, gloomy valleys, rushing rivers that run between rocky valleys, and boundless wastelands where snow is everywhere in winter and gray in summer. Despite this, the general characteristics are barren, barren, grassless, and infinitely desolate.

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　　(1) (2) are all Midwest place names in the United States, and are now states. - Translator's Note

　　In this hopeless land, the population is extinct. Only the Bonni and the Blackfoot (1) occasionally marched through here in groups to other hunting areas; even the bravest and strongest (2) people were eager to finish this terrible wasteland and return to the prairie. Only mountain dogs roamed the jungle in hiding, giant eagles soaring slowly in the air, and the stupid grizzly bear, haunting the gloomy canyon, looking for food. They are the only inhabitants of the wasteland.

　　There is nowhere in the world more bleak than the sights of the northern foothills of the Sierra Blanca (3). Looking around, the wasteland was only cut off by a small mistletoe forest. At the end of the horizon, the mountains are undulating, snow-capped, and shimmering with silver light. There is neither life nor anything to do with life in this land. Birds disappeared in the iron-blue sky, and there was no movement on the gray earth. In short, together dead silence. Listening quietly, in this vast and desolate land, there is no sound, just a complete, disheartening and desperate dead silence.

　　It is not true that there is not a single thing related to life in this vast wilderness. Looking down from the Sierra Blanca, you can see a path that winds across the desert and disappears into the distant horizon. This path was formed by how many vehicles rolled over and trampled by countless adventurers. A bunch here, a bunch there, scattered everywhere with things that sparkle in the daylight, look very harsh on this monotonous ground. If you look closely, it turns out to be a pile of white bones: the big and thick ones are cow bones; the smaller and thinner ones are human bones. On this 1,500-mile terrible caravan road, people are advancing along the bones of the dead road of the predecessors.

　　(1) (2) The Bonnie and Blackfoot are the tribal names of the original Indians in the northwestern region of the United States. - Translator's Note

　　(3) The Blanca Mountains are a branch of the Rocky Mountains of the United States, in the territory of Colorado. - Translator's Note

　　On May 4, 184, a lone traveler looked down on this miserable scene from the mountain. From his appearance, he was simply a ghost spirit in this desperate situation. Even an observant person can hardly guess whether he is forty years old or nearly sixty. His face was gaunt and thin, and his dry sheepskin-like brown skin was tightly wrapped around a handful of protruding bones. The long brown whiskers were already gray, and the deeply sunken eyes shot out a sluggish gaze. The hand that holds the rifle has a lot more muscles than the skeleton. When he stands, he has to support his body with a gun. However, his tall stature and great physique showed that he was a very strong person at the beginning. But his thin face and the large pocket-like clothes that hung over his bony limbs made him look old and decayed. This man was dying of hunger and thirst.

　　He had endured the pain, trekked along the valley, and now he was struggling to reach this small highland, and he had little hope that he would find a little water source. Now, in front of him, all that unfolded was the boundless ground and the continuous barren mountains that were far away in the sky, and there was no trace of a single tree, because where there were trees, there might be water vapor. In this vast land, there is no hope at all. After looking to the north, west, and east with his crazy and confused eyes, he understood that the days of wandering had come to an end, and he was about to be buried on this desolate rock cliff. "What's the difference between dying here and dying in a bed in a goose down quilt twenty years later?" He murmured as he sat down in the shadow of a large protruding rock.

　　Before he sat down, he placed his useless rifle on the ground, and then put down the large bag wrapped in a large gray shawl on his right shoulder. It seemed that he was exhausted and could not move. When he put down his baggage, he landed heavily. So out of this gray baggage came a cry, a frightened face with bright brown eyes popped out, and two chubby little fists with shallow swirls and freckles were also stretched out.

　　"You hurt me." The child said childishly in a complaining tone.

　　"Is it?" The man replied apologetically, "I didn't mean it. With that he opened the gray bag and took out a beautiful little girl from it. The little girl was about five years old and wore a pair of delicate little shoes, a pretty pink blouse, and a burlap bib. From these dresses, it can be seen that her mother loves her very much. Although the child's face was also a little pale, her strong arms and legs showed that she had not suffered as much as her companions.

　　"How's it going now?" He asked anxiously, because she was still rubbing the unkempt blond hair behind her head.

　　"Just kiss here," she said seriously, and showed him where her head was touching, "Mom always does that." Where's Mom? ”

　　"Mom's gone. I think you'll see her soon. ”

　　The little girl said, "What, gone?" It's weird, she hasn't said goodbye to me yet. She used to say something every time she went to her aunt's house for tea. But this time she had been gone for three days. Hey, the mouth is dry, isn't it? Isn't there anything to eat or drink here? ”

　　"Nothing, nothing, my dear. As long as you put up with it for a while, it will be fine after a while. You put your head on me, ah, and then you'll be more comfortable. My lips were as dry as my wife's, and I had a hard time talking, but I guess I'll tell you the truth. What are you holding in your hand? ”

　　The little girl picked up two mica stone tablets and showed them to him, and said happily, "How beautiful!" That's nice! When I got home, I gave it to my little brother Bob. ”

　　The adult said with conviction, "Soon you will see something more beautiful than this." Wait a minute. I was about to tell you, do you remember when we left that river? ”

　　"Oh, remember."

　　"Well, we expected to hit another river soon. Do you understand? But I don't know what's wrong. Whether it was a compass, or a map, or something else, something was wrong, and the river was never found again. When the water is finished, only a little remains, left for children like you to drink. Later—later—"

　　"You can't even wash your face," his friend said solemnly, interrupting his head. At the same time, she looked up at his dirty face.

　　"Not only can't I wash my face, I don't even have any drinks." Then Mr. Bend was the first to go, followed by Indian Pint, then Mrs. MacGregor, Jeanne Hons, and then, my dear, your mother. ”

　　"So, my mother is dead too." The little girl cried, covering her face with her bib and crying bitterly.

　　"By the way, they're all gone, leaving only you and me." Then I thought maybe I could find water here. So I put you on my shoulders, and the two of us went step by step. It seems that the situation has not improved. Our hope of surviving now is slim! ”

　　The child stopped crying, lifted his tear-filled face and asked, "Are you saying we're going to die too?" ”

　　"I think it's probably here."

　　The little girl smiled happily and said, "Why didn't you say it earlier?" You startled me. You see, isn't it, as long as we're dead too, we'll be with mom again. ”

　　"Yes, definitely, little darling."

　　"You'll see her too." I'm going to tell my mom that you treated me so well. I dare say that she will greet us at the gates of heaven, and she will have a large pot of water and a lot of buckwheat cakes, steaming hot, and baked on both sides, just as Bob and I loved to eat. But how long will it take us to die? ”

　　"I don't know — it won't be long." At this time, the adult said as he stared at the northern horizon. It turned out that under the blue sky dome, three black dots appeared, and the black dots became larger and larger, and they came very quickly. In an instant, it was seen that there were three large brown birds, circling the heads of the two wanderers, and then falling on a large rock above them. These are three giant eagles, the so-called condors in the western United States; their appearance is a harbinger of death.

　　"Rooster and hen," cried the little girl, pointing to the three monsters, and clapping her little hands in succession, intending to alarm them to make them fly. "Hey, was this place also made by God?"

　　"Of course he made it." Her companion replied. She asked this suddenly, but he was surprised.

　　The little girl continued, "He made Illinois over there, and he made Missouri." I think someone else must have made it here. It wasn't so good, even the water and the trees were forgotten. ”

　　The adult asked uncertainly, "Do you say yes to praying?" ”

　　The little girl replied, "It's not night yet." ”

　　"It doesn't matter, there doesn't have to be a fixed moment in the first place. Rest assured, God will not blame us. Pray now, as we do every night in the caravan as we pass through the wilderness. ”

　　The little girl asked with her eyes wide open. "Why don't you pray yourself?"

　　He replied, "I don't remember the prayer. I haven't prayed since I had the gun halfway up. But I don't think it's too late to pray now. You read out the prayer, and I read it with you. ”

　　She spread the bag flat on the ground and said, "Then you have to kneel, and I will kneel." You'll have to lift your hands like this, and you'll feel better. ”

　　Except for the giant eagle, no one saw this broken sight: on a narrow shawl, kneeling side by side two wanderers, one an innocent little girl, the other a rude, strong adventurer. Her chubby little round face and his haggard black face looked up at the cloudless sky and prayed reverently to the fearsome gods who were with them face to face; and it was two voices, one crisp and delicate, one low and hoarse, praying in unison, asking God for mercy and forgiveness. After the prayer, they sat again in the shadow of the great stone, and the child leaned on the broad chest of her protector and slowly fell asleep. He watched her sleep for a while, but he could not resist the forces of nature, for he had not rested or closed his eyes for three days and three nights. Eyelids slowly drooped, covering sleepy eyes, and the head gradually drooped to the chest, the adult's white beard and the child's golden hair curled together, and both of them fell asleep.

　　If the tramp had slept half an hour late, he would have seen a broken scene. At the distant end of this land, a cloud of smoke and dust was raised. It was light at first, and it was difficult to distinguish it from the fog in the distance. But then the smoke and dust flew higher and higher, wider and wider, until a thick cloud was formed; it was obvious that only the marching brigade could roll up such dust. If this were a fertile area, one would conclude that this was a large herd of cattle nomadic herds from the steppe, moving towards him. But in this barren land, such a situation is obviously impossible. Billowing smoke and dust were moving towards the side of the cliff where the two victims were sleeping, getting closer and closer. In the midst of the smoke, there appeared the figure of a canvas-roofed caravan and an armed starter, which turned out to be a large caravan heading west. What a mighty caravan! The front team has reached the foot of the mountain, and the rear team is still far away on the horizon. On this boundless wilderness, two-wheeled vehicles and four-wheeled vehicles are endless, some men are on horses, some men are walking, and an intermittent line is unfolded. Countless women staggered along the road with heavy burdens, many children running with unstable steps, and some children sitting in the car, looking out from the white canopy. Obviously, this is not an ordinary group of immigrants, but like a nomadic group, forced by the environment, they are moving to find another paradise. In this clear air, people shouted horses, clanged, and cars rumbled and mixed together. Even with such a loud noise, it did not wake up the two sleepy victims on the mountain.

　　More than twenty men on horseback with strong will and serious looks walked ahead of the line. They wore plain hand-woven clothes with rifles. They came to the foot of the mountain, stopped, and discussed briefly for a while.

　　A man with tight lips, a shaved beard, and gray hair said, "There is a well to the right, brother." ”

　　Another said, "Head to the right of Mount Blanca and we'll reach Leo Grand." ”

　　The third shouted, "Don't worry about running out of water. The true God, who can draw water out of the rocks, will not give up other elects. ”

　　"Amen! amen! Several people answered in unison.

　　They were about to get back on their way when suddenly a young man with the sharpest eyes pointed at the saga cliff above them and screamed. It turned out that there was a small pink thing floating on the top of the mountain, which stood out against the gray rocks. As soon as this thing was discovered, the riders together strangled the reins of the horse and took the gun in their hands. At the same time, more riders sped up from behind for reinforcements. Only to hear the same voice shouting, "There is a red man." ”

　　"There can't be any reds here," said an elderly figure who appeared to be the leader.

　　"We have crossed the Bonnie Red Settlement, and there will be no other tribes until we cross the mountain ahead."

　　One of them said, "Shall I go up and have a look, Brother Stanson?" ”

　　"I'm going, I'm going." More than a dozen people shouted in unison.

　　The elder replied, "Leave the horse below, and we will meet you here." ”

　　Immediately, the young man rolled over and dismounted, tied up the horse, and rose up along the steep mountain, toward the goal that led them to break their hearts.

　　They moved forward quickly and silently, showing the composure and quick movements of the trained scouts. The people at the bottom of the mountain only saw them walking between the rocks and flying until they reached the top of the mountain. The teenager who first discovered the situation walked ahead. The people who followed him suddenly saw him with both hands raised, and seemed to be surprised. Everyone looked up, and the scene in front of them also made them stunned.

　　On a small flat piece of land on the top of this barren hill, there is a single large stone. Next to the cobblestone lay a tall man, but saw that he had long hair and a grim appearance, describing him as withered. From his serene countenance and even breathing, it was clear that he was soundly asleep. Beside him lay a little girl, the little girl's round and white arms, her arms around the adult's dark and thin neck, her little head draped in blond hair, leaning on the chest of the man in the cotton wool upper body, the red mouth slightly open, revealing two rows of snow-white teeth, with a mischievous smile on her childish face; on the white and fat calves, wearing white stockings, clean shoes, and the buttons on the shoes were shining, which were in stark contrast to her partner's long, dry and thin hands and feet. On the rock above the heads of the monster-breakers, there were three giant eagles that were staring at the tigers, and when they saw the other people coming, they let out a cry of disappointment and flew away helplessly.

　　The cry of the giant eagle awakened the two sleeping men, who looked at the people in front of them in confusion. The man stood up wobbly and looked down the hill. When the sleeping devil caught him, it was still a desolate wasteland, but now there were countless people and horses. With a look of disbelief on his face, he held up the other thin hands and put them on his eyebrows to look closely. He muttered, "I guess this is called insanity." The little girl stood beside him, tugging tightly at the corner of the adult's coat, and she said nothing, staring around with the kind of broken eyes that children have.

　　The people who came to their rescue soon convinced the two victims that their appearance was not due to their hallucinations. One of them picked up the little girl and put her on his shoulder, while the other two helped her frail companion and walked together toward the convoy.

　　The wanderer declared his name and said, "My name is John Ferreher. Of the twenty-one people, only me and this little thing were left. They were all dead in the south because they had not eaten or drunk. ”

　　Someone asked, "Is she your child?" ”

　　The man boldly admitted, saying, "I think, now she's my child." She should be mine, because I saved her. No one could take her away, and she had been called Lucy Ferreher from today. But who are you? He looked at his tall, muscular, dark-faced saviors, and then said, "You seem to have a lot of people." ”

　　A young man said, "Almost tens of thousands." We are the persecuted children of God, the chosen people of the angel Merona. ”

　　The wanderer said, "I have not heard anything about this angel, but she seems to have chosen so many of your really not bad subjects." ”

　　Another said solemnly, "You are not allowed to talk about God's affairs casually." We are believers in the Mormon scriptures, which were written on the golden leaf in Egyptian and handed over to the holy Joseph Smith at Permayla. We are from Nauvo City, Illinois, where we used to build our own church. We are now fleeing from the domineering Smith and the blind, even if we are wandering in the desert. ”

　　At the mention of Nauvo, Ferreher quickly remembered, and he said, "I see, you are Mormons. ”①

　　(1) Mormonism is a school of Christianity founded by Joseph Smith in New York, USA, in 2008. After the establishment of the city of Naufu in Illinois in the same year, the church became an independent kingdom, and for a time there were many believers. Smith was later imprisoned for rebellion and killed by the mob, and the Mormons split, and Brigham Was made its leader. Mormons were forced to migrate to the western United States to settle in the Salt Lake City area of Utah.

　　"We are Mormons." Everyone said in unison.

　　"So where are you going now?"

　　"We don't know it ourselves. God guides us through our prophets. You must go to the Prophet, who will show you how to place you. ”

　　Mormonism prevailed in monogamy and wifehood, and was later adopted as one of the canons of the church. The polygamous system has been controversial within the church and has caused widespread resentment outside the church, and the canon was abolished in the year. - Translator's Note

　　By this time they had come to the foot of the mountain, and a large group of immigrants had immediately rushed up and surrounded them, including white and docile women, smiling and strong children, and men with sincere eyes. Everyone saw these two strangers, the child was so young, the adult was so weak, and they couldn't help but sigh with pity. But the escorts did not stop, and they lined up, followed by a large group of Mormons, all the way to a carriage. This carriage is very tall, particularly gorgeous and exquisite, and very different from other carriages. This car had six or seven horses, and the others were two, and the most was only four. Next to the rider sat a man, no more than thirty years old, but with his huge head and resolute look, he knew at a glance that he was a leader. He was reading a brown-covered book. When the group came to him, he set the book aside and listened attentively to the report of the breaking news. After listening, he looked at the two victims.

　　He said sharply, "Only by believing in our religion can we take you with us." We will not allow wolves to mix with our flock. Instead of allowing this rotten speck of yours to destroy the whole fruit in the future, it would be better to expose your bones to this wilderness. Are you willing to accept this condition and follow us? ”

　　"I'm willing to follow you, whatever it takes." Ferieux's accentuated words made even the steady elders laugh. Only this leader remained solemn and solemn.

　　He said, "Brother Stanson, take him in, give him food and drink, and give it to this child." You are also responsible for teaching him our teachings. We've been delayed too long, get up, and head for Mount Gao! ”①

　　"Forward, towards Mount Gao!" The Mormons shouted together. The commands were passed down like waves, one after another, and the voices gradually disappeared in the distance. The whip crackled, the car rumbled, the brigade of carriages and horses moved, and the whole line snaked forward again. Elder Stanjerson took the two victims to his car, where food had already been prepared for them.

　　He said, "You live here." Soon you will be able to recover from your fatigue. From now on, always remember that you are the followers of our religion. Bragham Young instructed that his words were spoken in the voice of Joseph Smith, which conveyed the will of God. ”

　　Nine The Flower of Utah

　　It is not intended to recount the suffering of Mormons in their migration before they finally settled. They marched on both sides of the Mississippi River to the western foothills of the Rocky Mountains, almost with unprecedented perseverance. With the indomitable tenacity of the Anglo-Saxons, they overcame all the obstacles that god could bring down, such as savages, beasts, hunger and thirst, labor, and disease. But the long journey and the endless horrors terrified even the strongest among them. Therefore, when they saw the vast Utah Valley beneath their feet bathed in sunlight, and heard their leaders proclaim that this virgin land was the promised land that God had given them, and that it would always belong to them, they could not help but bow down and worship sincerely.

　　(1) Mount Gao is the place name of Jerusalem and is a Christian holy place. Borrowed here, it refers to the place where Mormons are about to choose to live. - Translator's Note

　　It didn't take long for Young to prove that Young was not only a decisive leader, but also a capable administrator. After many planning plans are formulated, the future appearance of the city will also have an outline. All the land around the city is distributed proportionally according to the status of each believer. Merchants are still in business, and workers are still working as usual. The streets and squares in the city appeared like magic changes. In the countryside, ditches and ravines are dug, fences are built, cultivation and reclamation are cultivated, and a production atmosphere is formed; in the summer of the following year, thousands of acres of wheat waves emerge throughout the countryside, and they are golden together. In this remote immigrant area, everything is thriving, especially the magnificent cathedral they built in the center of the city, which is also rising day by day. Every day, from the dawn to the twilight, the sound of axe saws coming from the church was incessant. This building was used by this group of immigrants to commemorate the God who guided them through countless hardships and finally reached peace.

　　John Ferreher and the little girl depended on each other, and the little girl was soon considered a righteous daughter by Ferier. The two refugees followed the Group of Mormons to the end of their great journey. Little Lucy Ferreher was kept in the caravan of the Elder Stan Jieson and was very popular. She lived with Stan's three wives and his wayward, precocious twelve-year-old son, and Lucy soon recovered. Because she was young and docile, and had lost her mother at a young age, she was immediately favored by these three women. Lucy also grew accustomed to such a wandering, home-based life under the tabernacle. By this time, Ferrier had also recovered from his plight and revealed that he was not only a useful guide, but also a diligent and tireless hunter. As a result, he quickly gained the respect of his new partners. So, when they came to an end of their wandering careers, there was unanimous agreement that, with the exception of the prophet Jan and the four elders of StanTherson, Kenbaw, Johnston, and Cymb, Ferreher should be given a large piece of fertile land like any one of the immigrants.

　　Ferier thus acquired his share of the land. He built a solid wooden house on this land. This wooden house has gradually become a spacious villa due to the increase in the number of years. Ferier was a practical man, shrewd and skilled. He was also very strong, which enabled him to work tirelessly on his land from morning to night. As a result, his farm is thriving. Within three years he had driven out his neighbors; within six years he had become a well-to-do family; in nine years he had become very rich; and by twelve years there were fewer than five or six people in the whole of Salt Lake City (1). From the inland sea of the Salt Lake to the distant Vassar Mountains, there is no greater reputation in this region than john Ferreer.

　　(1) Salt Lake City is the capital of the U.S. state of Utah, bordering the shores of a salt lake. - Translator's Note

　　However, there was only one thing, and Ferieux hurt his feelings with the people he taught. That is, no matter how much he argues with him, no matter how much he persuades him, he cannot be made to marry and start a family in the way his partners do. He never said what the reasons for his repeated refusal to do so were, he was only resolute and unwaveringly stubborn. As a result, some accused him of not being religious to the religion he practiced. There are also some people who think that he is miserly with his belongings and refuses to spend money. Others speculated that he must have had a love affair earlier, perhaps a blonde on the Atlantic coast who had died of haggardness for him. Whatever the reason, Ferier still lived a strict celibacy life. In addition to this, he was relentless in his pursuit of this religion in the new colony and was recognized as a man of orthodoxy and conduct.

　　Lucy Ferreher grew up in this wooden house, and she helped her father-in-law with everything. The fresh mountain air and the scent of fat wafting from the pine forest nurtured the young girl like a loving mother. As the years passed, Lucy grew up year by year; she looked very tall and fit, her cheeks were getting more and more delicate, and her gait was getting lighter and lighter. How many passers-by passers-by pass by the avenue next to the Ferier's family farm, seeing Lucy's slender girl figure lightly through the wheat field, or encountering her riding her father's horse, showing the mature and graceful posture of the authentic western teenager, the scene of the past can not help but come to people's minds. The buds of that year have blossomed into a good flower today. Over the years, her father became the richest of the peasants, and at the same time, she grew into a Rare Peugeot American Girl in the entire mountains of the Pacific Coast.

　　But it wasn't her father who first felt that the girl had grown into an adult. This kind of thing is rarely discovered by the father in the first place. This mysterious change is very subtle and forms very slowly, and cannot be measured by time. The most difficult thing to perceive about this change is the girl herself, until she hears the words of a certain person, or touches someone's hand, she feels a sudden jump in her heart, and a mixture of pride and fear is generated. Only then did she realize that a newly broken, more unrestrained human nature had awakened in the depths of her heart. There are very few people in the world who cannot remember their own time, and there are very few people who cannot recall the subtle trifles that showed that his new life has arrived. As for Lucy Ferreher, whatever the impact of this on her and the future fate of others, it is serious enough in itself.

　　On a warm June morning, Mormons were busy like swarms of bees—they used the hive as their symbol. In the fields, on the streets, there was the noise of people working everywhere. On the dusty avenue, heavy-loaded mules flow endlessly, all heading west. At this time, California was in the midst of a gold mining boom. The avenue that runs across the continent and leads to the Pacific coast runs through the new city of Erecte. There were also herds of cattle and sheep from distant pastoral areas on the avenues, and there were also teams of tired immigrants, who, after a long journey, appeared sleepy and tired. In the midst of this mixture of people and animals, Lucy Ferreher rode through her horses with great skill; her beautiful face turned red with force, and her long chestnut hair fluttered behind her head. She went to the city on her father's orders. As usual, with the boldness of a young man, she desperately urged her horse forward, thinking only of what she was going to do. The dusty gold-digging adventurers looked at her one by one in shock, and even the indifferent Indians who transported leather were shocked to see this beautiful white maiden, and could not help but relax their usual dull faces.

　　When Lucy came to the outskirts of the city, she found six rough-looking shepherds who had brought a herd of cattle from the prairie, and the cattle had blocked the road. Impatiently, she waited impatiently, so she rode toward the gap in the herd, intending to cross the barrier. But as soon as she entered the herd, the cows behind her were all crowded together, and she immediately found herself caught up in a sea of cattle, and there were behemoths with long horns everywhere. She was also used to getting along with the cattle on weekdays, so although she was in this situation, she did not feel alarmed, but still grasped the gap to urge the horse to move forward, planning to pass through it. Unfortunately, a cow, consciously or unconsciously, slammed its horn into the horse's flank, and the horse immediately became furious when frightened. It immediately jumped its front hooves up and hissed wildly; it shook so much that if it were not for the first hand, anyone would inevitably be thrown off the horse. The situation was very dangerous. Every time the horse jumped, it was inevitably resisted by the horns again, which made it jump more and more violently. At this point, Lucy had to cling to the saddle and had no other choice. The slightest loss of hand will fall under the hooves of the chaos and be trampled to pieces. Since she had not experienced an accident, she felt dizzy, and the reins she was tightly pulling in her hands were about to relax. At the same time, the dust was flying, and the smell of evaporation from the crowded beasts made people impenetrable. At this critical juncture, if it were not for a kind voice beside her, convincing her that someone had come to her aid, Lucy would be desperate and could not hold on any longer. At this time, a strong brown hand caught the chewing ring of the startled horse, and squeezed out a way out of the cattle, and without much effort, he took her out of the herd.

　　The savior politely asked, "Miss, I hope you are not injured." ”

　　She looked up, glanced at his dark and rough face, and smiled indifferently. She said innocently, "It really frightens me." Who would have thought that this horse would be scared like this by a herd of cows! ”

　　He said sincerely, "Thank goodness, you hugged the saddle tightly." "It was a tall, rough-looking young lad riding a gray-and-white-spotted horse, wearing a sturdy coarse cloth hunting suit and carrying a long rifle on his shoulder. He said, "I suppose you are the daughter of John Ferreher." I saw you riding over from his estate. When you see him, ask him if he remembers the Jefferson Houpo family in St. Louis. If he were the Ferieux, my father would have been very close friends with him in the past. ”

　　She said solemnly, "Wouldn't it be better to ask him yourself?" ”

　　The young man seemed pleased to hear this suggestion, and there was a radiance of pleasure in his black eyes. He said, "I'm going to do it." We've been in the mountains for two months, and it's not convenient for us to visit now. But when he sees us, he will certainly entertain us. ”

　　She replied, "He must thank you greatly." I want to thank you too. He liked me so much that he didn't know how sad he would be if the cows trampled me to death. ”

　　Her companion said, "I'm going to be sad too." ”

　　"You? Ah, I can't see what this has to do with you. You're not even our friend yet. ”

　　After the young hunter heard this, his dark face couldn't help but darken, and Lucy laughed out loud when she saw it.

　　She said, "You see, I don't mean that. Of course, now you're friends. You must come and see us. Now I must go, or my father will not entrust his affairs to me again. Goodbye! ”

　　"Goodbye." As he answered, he lifted the other Mexican-style wide-brimmed hats and lowered his head to kiss her little hand. She turned the horse's head, whipped the horse, and galloped along the avenue in the smoke and dust.

　　Jefferson Houbo Jr. and his companions rode on horseback. Along the way, he was depressed and silent. He and they had been searching for silver in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and were now returning to Salt Lake City, intending to raise enough money to exploit the deposits they had discovered. Previously, he had always been as keen on this kind of business as any of his companions; but this unexpected encounter led his mind down another path. This beautiful maiden was as fresh and pure as the breeze on the mountain; this deeply touched his volcanic unrestrained heart. When her figure faded from his sight, he felt that this was the most critical juncture in his life, and whether it was the silver mine or anything else, it was more important to him than the thing that had just happened and attracted all his mind. The love that appeared in his heart was no longer the sudden and fickle fantasy of a child, but the unrestrained and intense passion of a man with a firm will and a strong personality. He has never done anything in his life that has not been satisfactory. Therefore, he secretly swore that as long as he could be successful through human effort and perseverance, then this time he would never fail.

　　That evening he went to visit John Ferreher; later he went many more times, and finally became very acquainted with each other. John Férieux lived deep in the valley, and for twelve years he devoted himself to his work on the farms, almost isolated from the outside world. Hou Bo was very familiar with the events of the past few years, so he could tell him what he had seen and heard. He spoke so eloquently that not only did the father listen to it with relish, but even Lucy found it very interesting. Hou Bo was also one of the first to arrive in California that year, so he could tell how many people got rich and how many people lost their homes in those days of gold and violence. He has been scouts, caught wild beasts, searched for silver ore, and worked as a worker in the closing scene. Wherever there was a rumor of an adventurous career, he would go and explore it. Soon he won the favor of the old farmer, and he constantly praised Hou Bo. At this moment, Lucy was always silent. But her red cheeks and bright and happy eyes made it very clear that her young heart was no longer her own. Her sincere father may not have seen these signs yet, but there is no doubt that they did not escape the eyes of the young man who had won her heart.

　　One summer evening, Hou Bo galloped down the avenue on horseback and ran toward the door of Ferieux's house. Lucy was at the door as she stepped forward to meet him. He threw the reins on the fence and strode along the path in front of the door.

　　"I'm leaving, Lucy," he said, holding both of her hands and looking tenderly into her face, "now I don't ask you to go with me right away, but when I come back, will you decide to go with me?" ”

　　"But when are you coming back?" She asked with a smirk.

　　"Two months at most, my dear. At that time, you will belong to me, and no one can stop us. ”

　　She asked, "But what about my father's opinion?" ”

　　"He has agreed, as long as our silver mine goes well. I'm not worried about that. ”

　　"Oh, that's it. As long as you and your father have everything arranged, there is no need to say more. She said softly as she snuggled her cheek against his broad chest.

　　"Thank God!" He said in a gruff voice as he bent down to kiss her, "Well, that's how it was decided." The longer I stay, the harder it will be to give up. They were still waiting for me in the canyon. Goodbye, my dear, goodbye! In less than two months, you'll definitely see me. ”

　　As he spoke, he broke free from her arms, rolled over on his horse, and galloped away without turning his head, as if his resolve would be shaken if he looked back at the people he had left. She stood by the door and looked at him for a long time until his figure faded away. Then she went into the house, and she was the happiest girl in the whole of Utah.

　　X John Ferreher's meeting with the Prophet

　　It's been three weeks since Jefferson Houbo and his buddies left Salt Lake City. John Ferreher felt great pain in his heart whenever he thought that when the young man returned, he would lose his righteous daughter. But the daughter's bright and happy face persuaded him to obey the arrangement more than any argument. He had secretly decided in his heart that he would never let his daughter marry a Mormon under any circumstances. He believes that this kind of marriage cannot be regarded as a marriage at all, which is simply a shame. Whatever his views on Mormon doctrine, he was unwavering on this issue. However, he could not but keep his mouth shut on this issue, because in the world of Mormonism, it is very dangerous to make undocumental remarks.

　　Indeed, it is very dangerous, and so dangerous that even the highly respected saints of the Church dare to speak only secretly about their opinions on the Church, lest the slightest word be revealed and immediately incur wreaks havoc. Those who were persecuted in the past, in order to take revenge, have now become persecutors, and they have become more intense and extremely cruel. The Inquisition of Sevierville, the apostasy of the Germans, the vast organizations of action owned by the Italian secret party, etc., are nothing compared to the vast web laid by the Mormons in Utah.

　　The impermanence of this invisible organization, combined with the mysterious activities associated with it, makes this organization doubly frightening. This organization seems to be omniscient and omnipotent; but what it does is neither visible nor heard. Whoever dares to oppose the Church will suddenly disappear. No one knows his whereabouts, nor does anyone know what happened to him. The wives and children of the family leaned against the door, but the father never returned, never to come back to tell them what had happened to him at the hands of his secret judge. The slightest carelessness in speaking, occasional misconduct, will immediately lead to the disaster of killing; and no one knows what this terrible force is hanging over their heads. Therefore, everyone is panicked, everyone is afraid; even in the wilderness, they do not dare to express secret doubts about the forces that oppress them, and this is not enough.

　　Initially, this mysterious and terrible force was only against the apostates. But soon, its scope expanded. By this time, the supply of adult women was becoming inadequate. Without enough women, the dogma of monogamy is useless. So rumors spread: in places where the Indians had never been, immigrants were murdered halfway through, and the tents of the travelers were robbed. At the same time, strange women appeared in the deep room of the Mormon elders. Their faces were haggard, their hisses were raised, and their faces showed indelible fear. According to the legend of the homeless people in the mountains, at dusk, they saw teams of armed bandits wearing masks on horses and quietly galloping past them. These stories and legends were originally nothing more than scales and claws, but they became more and more eyebrow-raising, and after being repeatedly confirmed, they knew that this was someone's doing. To this day, in the desolate steppes of the West, the "Dennet Gang" and "Vengeful Angels" are still sinful (1) and ominous names.

　　(1) The Dennett Gang is a secret, sinister school of Mormonism. - Translator's Note

　　A better understanding of this evil organization can only deepen, not lessen, the horror that has been provoked in people's minds. No one knows who counts in this brutal organization. The names of those who have carried out brutal and bloody acts under the guise of religion are kept absolutely secret. The friend you told him about your displeasure with the prophet and his church may be one of the people who came to take revenge on terror with a scepter at night. Therefore, everyone is suspicious of his neighbor, and no one dares to speak his heart.

　　One clear morning, John Ferreher was about to go out into the wheat field when he suddenly heard the latch of the front door click. He looked out the window and saw a strong middle-aged man with pale brown hair walking along the path. He was taken aback, because it was no one else who came in, but the big man, Brigham Young himself. He was terrified, for he understood that such a visit would be more sinister to him. Ferieu hurried to the door to meet the Mormon leader. However, Jan was very cold to his greeting, and he followed him into the living room with a straight face.

　　"Brother Ferieux," he said as he sat down, his eyes glaring grimly at the peasant from under his pale eyelashes, "the faithful of God have always treated you as good friends, and when you were about to starve in the desert, we saved you, and we gave you our food, brought you safely to this valley chosen by God, gave you a large tract of land, and let you, under our protection, slowly become rich, isn't that right?" ”

　　"That's right." Ferier replied.

　　"For all this, we have put forward only one condition, which is that you must follow our pure religion and practice the canon in all respects. You have promised to do this, too; but if the report is not false, you have been ignoring it at this point. ”

　　Ferier held out his hands in reply, "So, how do I ignore it?" Have I not paid the public fund in accordance with the regulations? Didn't I go to church? Am I..."

　　"So, where are your wives?" Jan asked, looking around,

　　"Call them out, I'll see them."

　　Ferier replied, "I didn't marry, that's a fact." However, there are not many women anymore, and many people need it more than I do. I am not alone, and I still have my daughter to serve me. ”

　　The Mormon leader said, "I came to talk to you for your daughter." She has grown up, and she is a flower in our Utah. Many of the high-ranking figures here have taken a fancy to her. ”

　　When John Ferrrie heard this, he couldn't help but cry out in his heart.

　　"There are many legends out there that she was engaged to a certain pagan. I don't want to listen to these claims. This must be the tongue-chewing of those who are bored. What does the thirteenth article of the St. Joseph Smith classic say? Let every maiden in Mormon marry a chosen person of God; if she marries a pagan, she will commit a mortal sin. That's what the classics say. Since you believe in the holy doctrine, you should not allow your daughter to destroy it. ”

　　John Ferreher didn't answer, and he kept playing with his horse whip.

　　"On this issue you can test your full sincerity, the Four Holy Society has already decided. This girl is still young, we will not let her marry an old man, and we will not let her choose completely. Those of us who are elders already have many 'heifers', but our children still need them. Stan (1) had a son, and Conebo had one, and they were both very happy to marry your daughter into their house. Tell her to choose between the two of them. They were young and wealthy, and they were all Orthodox. What do you have to say about this? ”

　　(1) The "heifer" is one of the leaders of Mormonism, HC· In a sermon, Kenbau mentioned his hundred old words. - Translator's Note

　　Ferier didn't make a sound, his eyebrows furrowed, and he was silent for a moment.

　　Finally he said, "You've got to give us some time." My daughter is still very young, and she is not yet the age of marriage. ”

　　"Give her a month to choose," Young said and stood up, "and at the end of a month, she will give me an answer." ”

　　As he walked through the door, he suddenly turned back, his face flushed, and his eyes glaring fiercely, "John Ferreher, if you want to touch an egg to a stone and dare to disobey the orders of the Four Saints, it would be better for both of you father and daughter to die on Mount Blanca!" ”

　　He shook his fist menacingly and turned away. Ferier could hear the rustle of his heavy footsteps on the gravel path in front of the door.

　　He put his elbows on his knees and sat there all the time, thinking about how to tell his daughter about it. Suddenly, a soft hand grasped his hand. He looked up and saw his daughter standing beside him. As soon as he saw her pale, frightened face, he understood that she had heard the conversation.

　　She saw her father's face and said, "I can't help but listen, his voice is so loud that the whole house can hear him." Oh, Dad, Dad, what the hell are we going to do? ”

　　"Don't panic," he said, pulling her to his side and stroking her chestnut hair with his thick hand, "we can always figure out a way to do it." Your love for that guy won't fade, won't it? ”

　　Lucy didn't answer, just clasped the old man's hand and sipped silently.

　　"No, of course not. I don't want to hear you say you will. He was a promising lad, and he was a Christian. In this regard, he is much better than the people here, no matter how they pray and pray, no matter how much they preach. Tomorrow morning a group of people will leave for Nevada, and I am going to send a letter to Hou Bo and let him know about our current bad situation. If I knew the young man a little, he would have flown back like a telegram. ”

　　Lucy listened to her father's description and couldn't help but laugh.

　　"When he comes back, he will definitely think of a perfect solution for us." But I'm worried about you, Dad. Someone has heard about it — about the terrible things that oppose the Prophet, about saying that those who oppose him will suffer terrible calamities. ”

　　Her father replied, "But we have not yet objected to him." If we oppose him, then we really have to guard against it. We have a full month to go. As soon as the time comes, I think we'd better get out of Utah. ”

　　"Leave Utah!"

　　"That's it."

　　"But what about the grange?"

　　"What can be sold, we try to sell it for money." If you can't sell it, you have to count it. Truth be told, Lucy, it's not that I just thought of doing this now. As for subordinating to anyone, just as the people here succumb to the obscenity of their damn prophet, I am not preoccupied. However, I am a free American, and I am really not used to everything here. I think I'm too old to learn from them. But if he really wants to go to my farm and run amok, he will taste the shotgun bullets that are flying in front of him. ”

　　His daughter had a different opinion, saying, "But they won't let us go." ”

　　"When Jefferson returns, we'll be able to escape soon." During this period, you must not trouble yourself, my good daughter, and do not cry with swollen eyes, otherwise, if he sees you like this, he will definitely come to my trouble. There is nothing to be afraid of, and there is no danger at all. ”

　　John Ferreher said these comforting words to her, with great firmness and confidence. But that night she saw that, unlike in the past, he had very carefully and carefully bolted the portal one by one, and had removed the old rusty shotgun hanging on the bedroom wall, wiped it clean, and loaded it with bullets.

　　XI. Escape

　　John Ferreher went to Salt Lake City the morning after meeting with the Mormon prophets. After he found the friend there who had gone to the mountains of Nevada, he took with him a letter of trust written to Jefferson Huber. In his letter, he informed him of the imminent danger that threatened them and asked him to return. After this matter was completed, his heart felt a little more relaxed, so he went home with a more pleasant mood.

　　As he approached his farmstead, he was shocked to see a horse on one side of the gate on either side of the gate. What surprised him even more was that when he entered the room, he found two young men in the living room. One was a long face, pale; he lay in a rocking chair, his feet stilted high, reaching up to the stove. The other was coarse and ugly, arrogant; he stood in front of the window, his hands in his trouser pockets, his mouth blowing popular hymns. When Ferieux came in, they nodded to him. The one lying in the chair opened his mouth first.

　　He said, "Maybe you don't know us yet, but this one is the son of Elder Coneber, and I'm Joseph Stan Festival." When God extended His holy hand to lead you into the flock of good sheep, we traveled with you in the desert. ”

　　Another nasal voice said very heavily: "God is going to bring in all the people under the heavens after all." God grinds slowly, but he is very delicate and without omission. ”

　　John Ferreher bowed coldly. He had already anticipated who these two visitors were.

　　Stan Continued: "We have come to propose to your daughter on the instructions of our father, and I invite you and your daughter to see who you have the most favorite of the two of us and who is the most agreeable. As for me, there are only four old people, but the Cone Brothers already have one. So, I see, my needs are greater than his. ”

　　The other shouted, "No, no, Brother Stanson. The question is not how much old age we have, but how much you and I can support. My father has now given me his mill, so I have more money than you. ”

　　Stan said fiercely, "But my hopes are greater than yours." When God invited my old man to go, I would be able to get his nitrate and tannery. At that time, I will be your elder, and my position in the church will be higher than yours. ”

　　Looking in the mirror, Xiao Qiu bo looked at himself and pretended to be full of smiles and said, "Then only let this girl decide." We still fully listen to her choice. ”

　　While the conversation was going on, John Ferreher had been standing by the door, his lungs about to explode; he could hardly resist pumping the backs of the two guests with his horse whip.

　　Finally, he strode up to them and said, "Listen, my daughter told you to come so you can come here." But when I didn't call you, I didn't want to see your face again. ”

　　The two young Mormons were so surprised that they looked at Ferier with their eyes wide open. In their view, their competition to propose to his daughter in this way was a supreme honor for his daughter and for him.

　　Ferier said, "There are two ways to get out of this house. One is the door and the other is the window. Which one are you willing to go? ”

　　His brown face looked very fierce and terrible, and a pair of exposed hands were so frightening. When his two guests saw that the situation was not good, they jumped up, pulled out their legs and ran. The old farmer followed him all the way to the door.

　　He said sarcastically, "The two of you have discussed which one is suitable, and it is enough to let you know." ”

　　"You're begging for food like this!" Stan Jieson cried out loudly, his face turning white, "How dare you openly disobey the Prophet and the Council of the Four Saints." You're going to regret it for the rest of your life! ”

　　The little cone also cried, "The hand of God will punish you heavily." Since He can make you live, he can make you die! ”

　　"Well, I'm going to let you die first and show me," Cried Feriel angrily. If Lucy hadn't grabbed his arm and stopped him, he would have rushed upstairs and pulled out his gun. Before he could break free from Lucy's clutches, he heard a horseshoe sound, and he knew they had gone far and could not catch up.

　　Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he shouted, "These two little hooligans who talk nonsense!" Instead of marrying you to any of them, my child, you'd rather die clean. ”

　　She replied excitedly, "Dad, I will definitely do the same." Jefferson was coming back soon, though. ”

　　"Yes, he will be back soon. The sooner they come back, the better, and we don't know what they're going to do next. ”

　　Indeed, now is the time when this strong old farmer and his righteous daughter are at their most critical, and they desperately need someone who can plan for them to help them. In the entire history of this immigrant region, there has never been such a blatant disobedience to the power of the Four Holy Spirits. If the slightest transgression is to be severely punished, then what is the result of doing such a rebellious thing? Ferreher knew that his wealth, his status, was of no help to him. Before that, some people who were as famous and rich as him had been secretly killed, and all their property had been given to the church. He was a brave man, but he shuddered at the thought of this vaguely elusive horror that befalls him. He could grit his teeth and bear any danger that lay out in the open; but this frightening situation was unbearable. Nevertheless, he hid his fears from his daughter and pretended to be insincere. However, his daughter's clever eyes had already seen that he was worried and uneasy.

　　He expected that this act would inevitably bring some kind of warning to Yang. Things were not surprising, but the way of warning was something he never expected. The next morning, when Ferieuer went to bed, he was astonished to find that on the surface of the quilt, just at the place of his chest, a note was nailed with a crooked and oblique line of thick writing: "Twenty-nine days will limit you to reforming, and when you get to the beginning—"

　　The stroke after the word is more frightening than any intimidation. How exactly this warning had come to his room puzzled John Ferreher; for his servants slept in a house which was not built with it, and all the doors and windows were bolted in. He crumpled the note together and did not mention it to his daughter in the slightest. However, this unexpected event made him feel frightened and cold. The "twenty-nine days" written on the note clearly refers to the days remaining in the January period specified by Jan. Against an enemy with such mysterious powers, what is the use of bloody courage alone? The hand that nailed the note could stab him with a knife, and he would never know who had killed him.

　　The next morning, things shocked Feriel even more. As they sat down for breakfast, Lucy suddenly pointed her hand upwards and screamed. It turned out that in the center of the ceiling, there was a number "", apparently painted with burnt wooden sticks. His daughter was puzzled by the number, and he didn't explain it to her. That night, he didn't sleep, took his gun, and watched all night. Overnight, he saw and heard nothing. But the next morning, a big one

　　But it was written on the door of his house.

　　As the days passed like this, just as dawn was bound to come every day without any discomfort, he found every day that his hidden enemies were memorizing numbers, and in some obvious places, there were still a few days left to write down his January limit. Sometimes, this damn number appears on the wall, sometimes above the floor. On other occasions, the numbers were written on small pieces of paper and pasted on garden doors or railings. Although John Ferreher was on guard, he could not find out when these daily warnings were being done. As soon as he saw these warnings, he felt an almost superstitious terror. So he sat restlessly, haggard day by day, and his eyes revealed the look of horror and panic that all the beasts that were being chased. Now his only hope was to wait for the young hunter to return from Nevada.

　　Twenty days became fifteen days, fifteen days became ten days, and people from afar still did not hear from them. The limit was decreasing day by day, but there was still no trace of him. Whenever there was the rushing sound of horseshoes on the road, or the shouts of the coachman pulling the herds, the old farmer could not help but run to the gate to look at it, thinking that his savior had finally arrived. In the end, seeing that the limit had changed from five to four days, and from four to three, he lost faith and gave up the hope of escape altogether. Alone and unfamiliar with the mountains that surrounded the settlement, he knew he was powerless to escape. The thoroughfare was already tightly guarded, and no one could pass without the order of the Four Holy Society. What can he do, it seems that he is cornered, and his imminent catastrophe is inevitable. But the old man's resolve never wavered, and he would rather die than endure this insult to his daughter.

　　One night he sat alone, thinking about his thoughts; but thinking left and right, he could not think of any way to escape this disaster. This morning, the word "" had appeared on the wall of the house, and tomorrow was the last day of the January deadline. What will happen then? He imagined all sorts of vague and frightening scenes. What will happen to his daughter after his death? Could it be that they really couldn't escape this invisible net of heaven and earth that had been sown around them? When he thought of what he could do, he couldn't help but lie down on the table and cry.

　　What is it? In the midst of all the silence, he heard a slight crawling sound. Although the sound is very light, it can be heard very clearly in the quieter of the night. The sound came from the other side of the gate. Ferreher crept into the living room, where he began to make a quiet sound and listen intently. After a pause, this slight, creepy sound sounded again. Apparently someone was tapping softly on the door. Could this be the mission of the Assassins in the middle of the night to carry out assassinations in the secret court? Or is this the dog leg that is writing that the last day of the limit has arrived? John Ferreher felt that the painful death was better than this kind of chilling, day-and-night torture. So he jumped forward, pulled out the latch, and opened the door.

　　There was silence outside the door. The night is bright, and the stars twinkle and shine overhead. All that appeared before the old man's eyes was a garden in front of the court, surrounded by a fence and a door. However, neither in the garden nor on the main road was a figure. Ferier glanced left and right, breathed a sigh of relief, and relaxed his mind. However, he inadvertently glanced at his feet and was surprised; he saw a man lying on the ground, his hands and feet stretched straight out.

　　When he saw this scene, he was extremely frightened. He leaned against the wall and pressed his hand to his throat so that he didn't shout. At first, he thought the man lying on the ground might be injured, or someone who was about to die. However, when he looked closely, he saw that he was moving his hands and feet on the ground, crawling as fast and silent as a snake, all the way into the living room. As soon as the man climbed into the house, he stood up and closed the door. It turned out that what appeared in front of this stunned old farmer was Jefferson Houbo's fierce face and his resolute expression.

　　"Oh my God!" John Ferreher muttered, "You've frightened me." Why did you come in like this? ”

　　"Give me something to eat," Hou Bo said hoarsely, "I don't have time to eat a bite for two days and two nights." The master's dinner was still on the table, so he ran over, grabbed the cold meat and bread and swallowed it. When he was full, he asked, "Is Lucy okay?" ”

　　"It was good. She was unaware of the dangers. The father replied.

　　"That's good. The house was already under surveillance on all sides. That's why I climbed all the way in. They were good enough, but they were a little bit close to catching a hunter from Lake Vashu. ”①

　　(1) Lake Wacho is a lake in the western Nevada state of the United States, where a tribe called the "Wacho Indians" originally lived. - Translator's Note

　　John Ferreher was now a completely different man, and he knew he had a loyal and reliable assistant. He grabbed the young man's rough hand, clasped it with heartfelt thanks, and said, "You are such a proud man." No one but you is willing to share our dangers and difficulties. ”

　　The young hunter replied, "You are right, old man. I respect you, but if this matter concerns you alone, then I will think twice before I stick my head into such a yellow honeycomb. I came for Lucy, and I thought that before they could get their hands on it, I would be able to go away with Lucy, and there would be no family named Hou Bo in Utah. ”

　　"What should we do now?"

　　"Tomorrow is your last day, and unless you act tonight, you will be too late." I got a mule and two horses, and now they are waiting in Eagle Valley. How much money do you have? ”

　　"Two thousand gold oceans and five thousand yuan banknotes."

　　"Enough is enough. Plus, I have so much money to put together. We had to cross the mountains to Carson City. You'd better wake up Lucy. The servant did not sleep in this room, which was convenient. ”

　　When Ferieux went in and told his daughter to get ready for the road, Jefferson Hubeau broke all the things he could find to eat into a small bag and filled it with a magnet; for from his experience he knew that there were few wells in the mountains, and they were far apart. No sooner had he finished packing than the farmer and his daughter came out together, all dressed and ready to go. The couple greeted each other very affectionately, but very briefly, for now every minute and second of time is very precious, and there are many things to do in front of them.

　　"We must go at once," said Jefferson Houbo, his voice low and resolute, like a man who knew that there was a great danger ahead, but had broken through the boat and was determined to break through, "where the front and back are in and out, they are already guarded." However, if we were careful, we could still go out through the window next to us and escape through the field. As soon as we get on the main road, we can walk two miles to reach eagle valley, and Ma Qi is waiting there. Before dawn, we must rush across the mountain. ”

　　Ferier asked, "What if someone is in the way?" ”

　　Hou Bo patted the handle of the revolver exposed under the placket, and said with a sly smile: "Even if we are outnumbered, we must at least kill two or three of them." ”

　　The lights in the house had long since been extinguished. Ferier looked out of the dark window and looked at the land that once belonged to him, and now it was going to be abandoned forever. He has always been grumpy about this sacrifice. But when he thought of his daughter's honor and happiness, he spared no expense even if his family was ruined. The rustling woods and the endless calm fields seemed so peaceful that they made people feel happy. But no one expected that this was the haunt of those demon kings who killed people without blinking. The young hunter's pale face and nervous expression showed that as he approached the house, he had already seen the sinister situation here clearly.

　　Ferier carried a purse of money; Jefferson Houbo carried a small ration and drinking water; Lucy carried a small bag with some of her precious objects. Slowly, slowly, very carefully, carefully, they opened the window; and when the dark clouds had dimmed the night, they followed one by one out of the window and into the little garden. They rose silently, bent down, and walked one foot deep and one foot shallow through the garden, to the dark part of the garden fence. They walked along the fence to a gap leading to the wheat field. They had just reached the place of this gap when Hou Bo suddenly grabbed the father and daughter and dragged them to a dark place. They lay there silently, trembling with fear.

　　This is also due to Hou Bo's long-term training on the grassland, making one of his ears as sharp as a bobcat. They had just fallen down when they heard the cry of an owl a few steps away from them. At the same time, not far away, there was immediately another echo. Only to see a faint figure appear at the gap they had opened with their own hands, and he uttered another cry of such a tragic cry, and immediately another person came out of the darkness in response.

　　"Tomorrow in the middle of the night, when the monster crows three times, it will start." The first man said this, and it seemed that he was a leading figure.

　　The other replied, "Okay, do you want me to convey it to the Cone Brothers?" ”

　　"Tell him and let him relay it to the others." Nine to up! ”

　　"Up to five!" The other went on. So the two men went their separate ways and quietly left. The last two sentences they said were obviously a kind of question-and-answer code. As soon as they had walked away and the footsteps had just disappeared, Jefferson Houbo immediately jumped up and helped his companion through the gap, while leading them as fast as he could over the field. At this point, Lucy seemed to be exhausted, so he dragged her halfway and half-dragged her away.

　　"Hurry up! Come on! He gasped and urged again and again, "We've crossed the cordon." It's all up to speed, run! ”

　　As soon as they got on the avenue, they immediately moved forward quickly. On the way, they encountered a man once, so they immediately flashed into a wheat field to hide, so as not to be recognized. When they were about to reach the edge of the city, Hou Bo folded into a craggy path leading to the mountains. In the darkness, I saw two majestic mountains of black oppression appear in front of me. The narrow gorge they had walked was eagle valley, where Ma Qi was waiting for them. Hou Bo, with his infallible skill, picked up the road among the rocks, and he followed a dried-up stream to a calm place where the mountains and stones were blocked. Three faithful mules and horses were tied there. Lucy got up with a mule. Old Ferier took his money bag and got up on a horse. Jefferson Houbo took the other, along the steep mountain path, guiding them forward.

　　For anyone unfamiliar with the naked face of nature, this rugged mountain road is bound to frighten them. On one side of the mountain road is a cliff, the mountain is saga, and the black pressure is precarious; the stone beams on the cliff are like the ribs on the devil's fossil. On the other side are rocks and stones, and there is no way out. In the middle, there is only this winding path. Some places are so narrow that they can only be passed by a single person. The mountain road is rough and difficult, and only those who are longer than horseback can pass. Despite all these difficulties, the mood of these few fugitives was pleasant, for they took a step forward, one step away from the tyranny from which they had just escaped.

　　However, they soon discovered that they still had not escaped from the Mormon sphere of influence. When they came to the most desolate part of the mountain road, Lucy suddenly screamed and pointed her hand upwards. There was originally a rock overlooking the mountain road, which looked very dark and monotonous in the light of the sky, and a guard post stood alone on the rock. When they found him, he saw them. So, in the quiet valley, there was a shout from the troops: "Who is walking around there?" ”

　　"It's a traveler to Nevada." Jefferson Houbo replied, holding the rifle next to the saddle.

　　They could see that this lone whistle-proof finger was pulling the trigger and looking down at them, seemingly dissatisfied with their answer.

　　The sentry shouted again, "Who gave permission?" ”

　　Ferier replied, "The Four Saints have given permission." From his experience in Mormonism, as far as he knows, the highest authority in the religion is the Four Nobles.

　　The sentry shouted, "Nine to rise." ”

　　"Up to five." Jefferson Houbo replied at once, remembering the password he had heard in the garden.

　　The man above said, "Go ahead, God bless you." "After passing this level, the road ahead is wide, and the horse can let go of his steps and trot forward. Looking back, they could still see the sentry, leaning on his gun, standing alone. By this time, they knew that they had crossed the border pass of the Mormon Parish, and freedom was ahead.

　　XII Angels of Vengeance

　　Throughout the night, they walked through intricate paths and rugged, rocky mountain paths. They lost their path more than once, but thanks to Hou Bo's familiarity with the situation in the mountains, they were able to get back on the right path. After dawn, a broken scene appeared in front of them, and although the scenery seemed very desolate, it was magnificent. Now they were in the midst of snow-capped mountains; mountains overlapped and stretched to the distant horizon. The mountain road was lined with cliffs, and the larch that grew on them seemed to hang over their heads, as if a gust of wind would be blown down and pressed on their heads. But this is not entirely a utopian fear, for in this desolate valley, the grass and trees are overgrown, and the trees and stones have rolled down like this. As they advanced, a boulder rolled down like a thunderclap, and the rumbling sound echoed in the quiet canyon, and the frightened and tired horses rushed up.

　　When the sun rises slowly from the eastern horizon, the peaks are lit up one after another, just like the scene at the time of the feast, until all the hills are smeared with a reddish color and shine brightly. This kind of broken scenery made the spirits of the three fugitives lift, and the momentum of progress increased. They stopped at the mouth of a valley gushing out of the rapids and drank their horses; at this moment, they also hurried to breakfast. Lucy and her father preferred to rest a little longer, but Jefferson Houbo insisted on going briskly. He said: "At this time, most of them are following our tracks, and the success or failure lies entirely in the speed of our progress." As long as we reach Carson City safely, it doesn't matter if we rest for a lifetime. ”

　　Throughout the day, they were on their way through the mountains. As dusk approached, they calculated their journey, and they had been more than thirty miles away from the enemy. At night, they chose a place under the overhanging rock where they could shelter from the cold winds. To warm up a bit, the three of them huddled tightly together and slept for a few hours. However, before dawn, he set out on the road again. They had never found any sign of a chase, so Jefferson Hubeau thought they might have escaped the tiger's mouth, and that the terrible organization that persecuted them was now beyond the reach of the whip. However, he had no idea how far this eagle palm could stretch; at the same time, he did not expect that this eagle palm would immediately approach them and crush them to pieces.

　　The day after they fled, at about noon, the small rations were about to be eaten. However, this incident did not disturb the hunter in any way, because in the mountains, there were birds and beasts that could be hunted to fill the hunger. In the past, he used to rely on his rifle to survive. He chose a hidden place of calm, picked up some dead branches and firewood, and warmed up his friends. Because they were now on top of a mountain five thousand feet above sea level, and the air was bone-chilling. After tying up his mule and saying goodbye to Lucy, he took his rifle on his back and forth and went out to touch and pick up something. When he looked back, he saw the old man and the girl warming up around the fire, and three mules and horses standing motionless behind them. After a few more steps, they were blocked by the big rocks, and they could no longer be seen.

　　He walked more than two miles over the mountains, but found nothing. However, from the marks on the trunk and other indications, he concluded that there were countless wild bears nearby. But he searched for two or three hours, but to no avail. Finally, when he was about to go back empty-handed, he suddenly looked up and felt his heart flutter. It turned out that on the edge of a protruding rock three or four hundred feet above the ground stood a beast, which looked like a sheep, but armed with a pair of huge horns. This guy, known as the "Big Horn", may be on a vigilance mission for the same group that Hou Bo can't see. Coincidentally, the beast had its back to Hou Bo, so it did not detect him. He lay on the ground and mounted his gun on a rock, and he aimed slowly and steadily before firing. The beast jumped up, struggled a few times on the edge of the rock, and rolled to the bottom of the valley.

　　The beast was so heavy that a man could not move his back, and Hou Bo cut off one of the dead beast's legs and some of his loins. At this time, it was already twilight and together. So he took the booty and hurried back and forth along the road, but as soon as he was about to take a step, he remembered that he was in trouble. For when he concentrated on the search for the beast, he had gone too far, far out of the valley with which he was familiar, and it was not easy to recognize the path he had taken. He felt that the valley where he was located had suddenly become a thousand ravines, so similar that it was almost unrecognizable. He walked more than a mile down a ravine to a place where the water was flowing. He must have never seen this mountain stream when he came. He concluded that he had taken the wrong path, so he took another path, and it turned out that it was still not the right path. Night soon fell, and by the time he finally found a path he knew, it was completely dark. Although he had found this familiar path, it was not easy to follow this path without making a mistake now. Because the moon had not yet risen, the cliffs on both sides of the path were towering, making the road particularly dark and difficult to navigate. At this time, Hou Bo was carrying something heavy on his back, and he couldn't breathe, and he had been busy for half a day, and now he felt very tired. But he still staggered forward, and when he thought of taking a step forward, he took a step closer to Lucy, and brought so much food that they would be able to eat on their future journeys, so his spirits lifted again.

　　Now he had come to the entrance to the valley where they had just been left behind. Although it was in the darkness, he could also make out the outlines of the boulders that obscured the entrance. They must have been anxiously waiting for him, he thought, for he had been gone for almost five hours. In a moment of happiness, he put both hands to his mouth, and by the echo of the canyon, he beckoned loudly to indicate that he was back, and he paused for a moment to listen to the echo. But there was nothing but his own cry touching the rock wall of this silent, desolate canyon, folding back to form countless echoes. He cried again, louder than the previous one. However, he still did not hear back from his friends who had recently left him. He vaguely felt an inexplicable fear, so he hurried over, and in a hurry, he threw away the precious beast meat.

　　He turned the corner and saw clearly the situation in the place where the fire had just been made. There was still a pile of charcoal flickering and glowing; but it was clear that after he had left, no one had taken care of him again. There was also a dead silence all around. The original fear is now a reality. He hurried forward. There was nothing alive by the fire; the horse, the old man, and the maiden were gone. It was clear that this was a terrible catastrophe that had occurred suddenly after he left, and none of them had been spared, and they had not left a trace.

　　This unexpected blow made Hou Bo panic and stunned. He only felt a whirlwind of heaven, so he quickly grabbed his rifle to support himself so as not to fall. However, he was a strong-willed man, and he quickly woke up from this confusion. He picked up a piece of half-charred wood from the fire and blew it to flame. By this light, he inspected the resting place. The ground was littered with horseshoe trampling marks, which meant that a large group of horsemen had caught up with the fugitives. Judging from the direction they were going, it proved that they later turned back to Salt Lake City. Did they take both of his companions with them? Hou Bo was almost certain that they must have done that, but when his eyes landed on something, he couldn't help but make his hair stand up. Not a few steps away from their original resting place, there was a pile of red clay that was not high, which was certainly not originally there. Not bad at all, it's a newly dug grave. When the young hunter approached, he noticed that there was a wooden stick inserted in the mound, and at the crack of the wooden stick was a piece of paper, and a few words were scribbled on the paper, but they were clearly written:

　　John Ferreher

　　He lived in Salt Lake City and died on August 4, 1860

　　The muscular old man he had just left had died, and these words had become his epitaph. Jefferson Hubeau searched everywhere again to see if there was a second grave, but found no trace. Lucy has been taken back by this group of terrible chasers, and has been defeated by her original fate, becoming the son of the elder. When the young lad realized that her fate had indeed been so, and that he himself could not be recovered, he really wanted to follow the old farmer and sleep in his last resting place.

　　But his positive spirit finally ruled out this excessive sadness arising from despair. If he really had no other way to think, he could at least spend his life on revenge. Jefferson Houbo has indomitable patience and perseverance, so he also has a relentless determination to take revenge. This vengeance of his may have been learned from the Indians during his days with them. Standing by the bleak fire, he felt that only a thorough, clean, and painful revenge, and the use of his own hand to kill his enemies, could alleviate his grief. He made up his mind to devote all his strong will and boundless energy to revenge. His face was pale and hideous, and he walked down the road step by step, finding the place where he had lost the flesh of the beast. He set fire to the fire that was about to be extinguished and roasted the meat of the beast until the cooked meat was enough for him to last for several days. He bundled the roasted animal meat into a bag. At this time, although he was extremely worried, he still followed the footsteps of these vengeful angels, crossed the mountain, and walked back step by step.

　　He walked for five days on the path he had previously ridden; he was extremely tired and his feet were unbearable. At night, he lay among the rocks and slept haphazardly for several hours. But before the sky was clear, he got up again and hurried to the road. On the sixth day, he came to eagle valley; it was from here that they began their unfortunate escape. He looked down from eagle valley and could see the Mormons' farmhouse homes. Now, he was already bone-thin and emaciated. Leaning on his rifle, he swung his thin fist at the quiet and vast city beneath his feet. When he looked around the city, he found flags and other festive signs hanging on some of the main streets. He was speculating about the reason when he overheard the sound of a horse's hooves galloping, only to see a man running toward him with a horse. When the Centaur approached, Hou Bo recognized that this was a Mormon named Kao Chi. Hou Bo had helped him several times, so when he approached, Hou Bo greeted him and wanted to find out from him what Lucy's fate was.

　　He said, "I'm Jefferson Hubeau. Do you remember me? ”

　　The Mormon looked at him with undisguised amazement. Indeed, this pale- and hideous-eyed, ragged, unkempt homeless man could hardly be recognized as the young and handsome hunter of the day. However, when he finally recognized that it was indeed Hou Bo, his surprise turned into horror.

　　He cried out, "You're crazy, you dare to come here." If someone sees me talking to you, even my life will not be saved. Because you helped Ferieux's father and daughter escape, the Four Saints have ordered you to be wanted. ”

　　Hou Bo said earnestly: "I am not afraid of them, and I am not afraid of their wanted." You must have heard about it. I beg you to answer a few questions. We have always been friends, please look at God's sake and do not refuse. ”

　　The Mormon asked uneasily, "What's the problem?" Hurry up, these stones have ears, and these big trees have eyes. ”

　　"How's Lucy Ferrey?"

　　"She married Little Conebo yesterday. Stand firm, hey, you have to stand firm. Look, how come your soul is not possessed? ”

　　"Leave me alone," Hou Bo said weakly. His lips were all white, and he slumped down on the stone he had just leaned on, "You say you're married?" ”

　　"The flags that were hung on the new house, which were married yesterday, are for this. Who should marry her, there was a dispute between Little Cone and Little Stan Jieson on this issue. Both of them went after them, and Stanjerson shot and killed her father, so he had all the more reason to ask for her. However, when they were arguing at the Council of the Four Saints, because of the great power of the Cymbidium, the Prophet handed Over Lucy to Cone. But whoever possessed her would not last long; for yesterday I saw that she was dead, and where she still looked like a woman, she was a ghost. Are you leaving? ”

　　"Yes, I'm leaving." Jefferson Houbo had already stood up when he spoke. His face was almost like a marble carving, his expression was severe and determined, and his eyes shone with a fierce light.

　　"Where are you going?"

　　"You don't care." He replied, carrying other weapons, striding down the valley, from where he reached the place where wild beasts were infested deep in the mountains. Among the beasts, there was no one more ferocious and dangerous than Hou Bo.

　　The Mormon prophecy was fulfilled without any displeasure. Whether it was because of her father's tragic death, or because of her forced marriage and resentment, poor Lucy had been withered and lifeless; within a month she had died of depression. Her husband married her chiefly for John Ferreher's possessions; therefore, he did not feel much sorrow over her death; but some of his revolts mourned her, and, according to Mormon custom, guarded her all night before burial. In the early hours of the next day, as they were sitting around the spiritual bed, the door of the room suddenly opened wide, and a ragged, rough-faced, weathered man broke in. They were horrified and too frightened to speak. The man did not glance at the shrunken women, ignored them, and walked straight to the pale, quiet body that once contained the pure soul of Lucy Ferreher. He bent down and kissed her prayerfully on her cold forehead. Then he took her hand and removed the wedding ring from her finger. He cried out, "She must not be buried with this thing on." Before people could get up, he flew downstairs and disappeared. It happened so abruptly, so abruptly, that if it weren't for the undeniable fact that the golden ring that was the bridal symbol on Lucy's finger had disappeared, it would have been difficult for even the keepers themselves to believe it, let alone let others believe it.

　　Jefferson Houbo wandered the mountains for months, living a primitive inhuman life, and he was always thinking of revenge and hatred. At this time, there was a popular legend in the city that there was a strange man who haunted the mountains and ravines, and he wandered around outside the city. At one point, a bullet whizzed through Stan's window and hit a wall less than a foot away from him. Another time, when Conebo passed under the cliff, a boulder fell from his head, and he fell to the ground in a hurry to escape the disaster. The two young Mormons soon discovered the reason for the attempted murder. So they led the men and horses into the mountains again and again, intending to capture their enemies or kill him. However, they always fail to succeed. So they took a cautious approach, never going out alone, and staying at home after dark. At the same time, they sent for the guards of their homes. After some time, they thought that these measures could be relaxed, because no one had heard from their enemy or seen any trace of him again, so they hoped that, over time, his vengeance might cool down.

　　Far from this, it can be said that this sense of revenge has been strengthened. Hou Bo originally had a firm and indomitable spirit, and there was no other emotion that occupied his soul except for sleeping and not forgetting revenge. Besides, first of all he was a very practical man. Soon, he realized that although his physique was very strong, he could not bear this excessive work. The wind and the sun are blowing, there is no shelter, and he cannot eat decent food, so that his physical strength is greatly depleted, and if he dies like a wild dog in the mountains, then what about the matter of revenge? Moreover, in the long run, it is bound to get such a result. He felt that if this was the case, it would not be in line with the enemy's wishes. So he reluctantly returned to the mine in Nevada where he had been, so that he could recover his strength there and accumulate enough money to continue to track down his enemies without getting bogged down.

　　He had planned to return after at most a year of absence, but due to various unexpected circumstances, he could not get out, for nearly five years. Although five years have passed, but now, five years later, the pain of the past, the memory is still fresh, and the determination to revenge is just as urgent as when he stood next to the grave of John Ferrrieu on that toothless night. He disguised himself, changed his name and surname, and returned to Salt Lake City. He only wants justice, and his own life has long been ignored. When he arrived in Salt Lake City, he realized that bad news was waiting for him. A few months ago, there was a split among mormons, and the younger faction of the church rebelled against the rule of the elders, resulting in a considerable number of disobedients leaving the church. They left Utah and became pagans. Cymbal and Stan Jieson were among them, but no one knew their whereabouts. It is said that Cymbeuther had already managed to sell most of his possessions, so that by the time he left he was already a rich man with a lot of money, while his companion Stan Jiexun, by comparison, was quite poor. However, there is no clue as to where they are now.

　　In such a difficult situation, no matter how urgent the sense of revenge, the average person may inevitably lose his mind and give up the plan of revenge. But Jefferson Houbo never wavered. He set out with all his small sum of money, city by city, in search of his enemies throughout america. When you don't have money, just find some work to eat. Year after year passed, and one of his black hairs turned gray, but he continued to wander, like a keen hound among humans who refused to give up. He has devoted all his energies to this cause of revenge, for which he has given his whole life. Sure enough, the heavens did not live up to the bitter heart. But it was only from the window that the enemy was seen; but this one told him that the two enemies he was tracking were in Cleveland, Ohio. He returned to his dilapidated lodging place and prepared all his plans for revenge. However, it was also a coincidence that Cone Bo also recognized the tramp on the street from the window that day, and also saw the killing chance in his eyes. So, accompanied by Stan Jieson (who had become Cone's personal secretary), he hurried to a magistrate in charge of the peace and reported to him that their lives were now in danger because of the jealousy of an old enemy. That night, Jefferson Houbo was arrested. Because he could not find a guarantor, he was imprisoned for several weeks. By the time he was released, he had found his quarters empty, and that Cymbeus and his secretary had left for Europe.

　　This time, Hou Bo's plan for revenge failed again. However, the hatred in his heart once again inspired him to continue to track down. However, due to the lack of travel expenses, he had to work for a period of time, saving every dollar to prepare for future operations. Finally, when he had saved enough money to support himself, he set out for Europe. He chased his enemies from city to city throughout Europe; when the money was spent, he did any lowly work, but he never caught up with the two outlaws. By the time he reached St. Petersburg, they had already left for Paris. When he arrived in Paris, he heard again that they had just left for Copenhagen. When he arrived in Copenhagen, the Danish capital, he was a few days late, and they had traveled to London a few days earlier. He finally drove them to a desperate situation in London. As for what happened later in London, we would do well to quote the story of the old hunter himself, detailed in Dr. Watson's diary. This story, we have read earlier.

　　XIII Re-record Watson's memoirs

　　The mad resistance of our criminal is obviously not any ill will toward each of us, for when he realizes that he is powerless, he smiles meekly and expresses the hope that he will not hurt any of us while he struggles. He said to Holmes, "I think you are going to send me to the police station. My carriage was right outside the door. If you loosen my legs, I can walk down on my own and get in the car. I wasn't lifted up as easily as I used to. ”

　　Gladson and Lestrade exchanged glances, as if to think that the request was too bold. Holmes, however, immediately accepted the criminal's request and untied the towel we had tied to his ankles. He stood up and stretched his legs a little, as if to prove that they had indeed gained freedom again. I still remember that when I looked at him, I thought to myself, I rarely saw anyone stronger than him. The resolute and energetic expression on his weathered black face was as astonishing and unattractive as his physical strength.

　　He looked at my companion and said with a look of heartfelt admiration, "If there is a vacancy in the position of chief of police, I think you are the most suitable person." Your method of investigation in my case is indeed very careful and thorough. ”

　　Holmes said to the two detectives, "You'd better go with me." ”

　　Restrade said, "I'll catch you a ride." ”

　　"Okay, then Gladson can get in the car with us." And you, doctor. You've taken an interest in the case, so it's best to go with us. ”

　　I readily agreed, so we went downstairs together. Our criminal did not have the slightest attempt to escape, and he quietly went into the carriage that turned out to be his, and we followed. Rethride climbed into the driver's seat, whipped the horse forward, and soon pulled us to our destination. We were ushered into a cabin where a police officer recorded the names of our criminals and the names of the two people he was accused of killing. The sergeant was a fair-faced, cold-looking man who performed his duties mechanically and stiffly. "Prisoners will be brought before court for trial within this week," he said. Mr. Jefferson Hubeau, do you have anything to say before the trial? But I must tell you in advance that what you say is to be recorded and may be used as a basis for conviction. ”

　　Our criminal said slowly, "Gentlemen, I have a lot to say, and I would like to tell you everything as it is. ”

　　The officer asked, "Wouldn't it be better for you to wait until the interrogation?" ”

　　He replied, "I may never be interrogated, don't make a fuss, I'm not trying to kill myself." Are you a doctor? As he said this, he turned his fierce and dark eyes to look at me.

　　I said, "Yes, I'm a doctor." ”

　　"Well, please press one here with your hand." He smiled as he spoke, pointing to his chest with his handcuffed hand.

　　I pressed my hand on his chest and immediately noticed an unusual throbbing inside. His chest shook slightly, just as it would have been in an unstable building where a powerful machine had been started. In this quiet room, I could hear a slight noise in his chest.

　　I cried out, "What, you have aneurysm!" ”

　　He said quietly, "They all say so. Last week, I went to a doctor and he told me that in a few days, the blood tumor would rupture. This disease has been around for many years, getting worse and worse every year. This illness was caused by the fact that I was in the mountains of Salt Lake City, because I had suffered from wind and frost, overwork, and lack of food, and now that I had finished my work, I didn't care when I died. However, I am willing to explain this matter before I die, and there will be a record after death. I don't want to let people see me as an ordinary murderer after I die. ”

　　The officer and the two detectives had a hasty discussion to consider whether it would be appropriate to allow him to tell him about his experience.

　　The officer asked, "Doctor, do you think there is indeed a danger of a sudden change in his condition?" ”

　　I replied, "Indeed. ”

　　The officer then said, "If that's the case, in order to uphold the law, it's clear that it's our duty to get his confession first." Sir, you are now free to confess. But once again, I tell you that everything you have to say must be recorded. ”

　　"Allow me to sit down and talk." The prisoner sat down unceremoniously as he spoke, "This hemoma of mine easily makes me feel tired, and since we fought a lot half an hour ago, this will never make me better." I am already a man by the grave, so I will not lie to you. Everything I say is true. As for what you do, it doesn't matter to me. ”

　　After Jefferson Houbo had said these words, he leaned back in his chair and began to utter the following amazing confession. He narrated in a calm and methodical manner, as if the things he were saying were very bland. I can guarantee that this supplementary confession is entirely correct, for I took the opportunity to copy it from Rathriede's notebook. In his notebook, he recorded the confession of the criminal, word for word, according to his original account.

　　He said, "Why should I hate these two people, that doesn't matter to you." They were full of evil, they had sinned, they had killed two people, a father and a daughter, and therefore they had given their own lives, and they deserved it. It has been so long since they committed their crimes that I cannot bring any evidence of the crime and go to any court to accuse them. But I knew they were guilty, and I made up my mind that I would leave the task of judge, juror, and executioner to me alone. If you are a manly husband, if you are in my position, you will certainly do the same as I did.

　　"The girl I have just spoken of, twenty years ago she was going to marry me, but she was forced to marry this cone, so that she died of hatred. I took the wedding ring from the finger of her body, and I swore that I would let the ring look at it and kill him, and that he would be punished for the sins he had done. I traveled all over two continents, tracking Cone and his accomplices until I caught up with them, and the ring was with me. They intend to run around and drag me down; but they are in vain. Even if I die tomorrow— it is quite possible, but as I lay dying, I finally knew that my work in this world had been done, and it had been done brilliantly. Both of them were dead, and both were killed by my own hands, and besides, I had no other hope or demand.

　　"They are rich people, and I am a poor man. So I'm going to chase them everywhere, and it's not easy for me. By the time I came to the City of London, I was almost empty. I realized that I had to find a job to sustain my life. Catching a car and riding a horse is as normal as walking for me. So I went to a carriage factory to find some work, and it worked. Every week I have to pay a certain amount of rent to the owner, and the rest is owned by myself. However, there was not much money left, but I always managed to make it end. The hardest thing is not knowing the way. I don't think there is any city with complex roads that is more complex and difficult to recognize than the streets of the City of London. I took a map with me; it wasn't until I became familiar with some of the big hotels and a few of the main stations that my work went smoothly.

　　"It took me a long time to find where these two gentlemen lived. I asked until finally I accidentally bumped into them. They lived in an apartment in Camberwell across the River Thames. As long as I find them, I know, they are in my grasp, I have grown a beard, they cannot recognize me. I followed them closely and waited for the opportunity to get started. I made up my mind that this time I would never let them escape again.

　　"Despite this, they almost slipped away again. Wherever they went in London, I followed them inseparably. Sometimes I followed them in a carriage, sometimes on foot. But driving the carriage was the best thing to do, because then they wouldn't be able to get rid of me. I only do some business and make some money in the early morning or late at night, but then I can't pay the rent to the owner in time. But as long as I can kill the enemy with my own hands, I don't care about anything else.

　　"However, they are very cunning. They must also be aware that someone might be following them, so they never go out alone or at night. Since the two stars arose, I had followed them every day in a carriage, but I had not seen them separate once. Cymbeuber was often drunk, but Stan Wasson was never negligent. I got up early and spied on them in the dark, but I never got the chance. However, I was not discouraged by this, because I always felt that the time for revenge was coming. The only thing I was worried about was this problem in my chest, maybe it would rupture prematurely and make my revenge a failure.

　　"Finally, one evening, as I was driving the carriage around the place where they were staying in called Taulquuri, I suddenly saw a carriage rushing to the door of their quarters. Immediately, someone took out some of the luggage, and soon Cymber and Stan Jieson followed suit, and they got into the car together. I hurriedly urged ma jia to follow, far behind them. I was very upset, lest they change their accommodation again. They reached Euston Station and got out of the carriage. I found a small child to hold my horse for me, and I followed them to the platform. I heard them inquire about the train to Liverpool; the man at the station replied that there was a train that had just departed and that there would be no second train in a few hours, and Stan Seems to be very annoyed when he heard it, but Conebo was happier than anything. I was caught in the crowd and very close to them, so I could hear every word of conversation between them. Cymbeuble said that he had a little personal matter to do, and that if Stan Wasson was willing to wait for him, he would be back soon. His partner stopped him and reminded him that they had decided to be with each other and not to act alone. Cone replied that it was a delicate matter and that he had to go alone. I couldn't hear what Stan Jieson had said again, and then I heard only Cone bo scolding him and saying that he was just a servant he had hired, and that instead of pretending to blame others. In this way, the secretary was not interested, so he had to say no more, he just consulted with him, in case he delayed the last train, he could go to the Hao Li Dai Hotel to find him. Cone replied that he could come back to the platform before eleven o'clock; then he went all the way out of the station.

　　"The once-in-a-lifetime moment I've been waiting for day and night has finally arrived. My enemies are in my hands. When they are together, they can help each other; but once apart, they will fall into my grasp. Nevertheless, I did not engage recklessly. I had already laid down a plan: the moment of revenge, if the enemy was not given a chance to understand who had killed him; if he was not made to understand why he was punished in this way; then this revenge would not be satisfactory. My plan of revenge has long been laid out, and according to this plan, I will give the man who has suffered me a chance to understand that now is the time for him to be full of evil. It so happened that a few days ago a man in my car who was looking at several houses along Brickston Road left the keys to one of them in my car. Although he took the key back that night, I had already taken it off a mold before taking it away, and I had prepared one as before it was taken. In this way, in this big city, I have at least found a reliable place where I can do my things freely and without being hindered. The difficult problem to be solved now is how to get the cone into that house.

　　He walked down the road and went into one or two hotels. He stayed in the last hotel for almost half an hour. When he came out, he was faltering, and it was obvious that he was drunk enough. There happened to be a two-wheeled carriage in front of me, so he beckoned and sat up. I followed closely all the way. My horse's nose was at most a yard away from the body of the coachman of the carriage in front. We crossed the Waterloo Bridge via (1) and ran for miles down the street. To my surprise, however, we were back where he had lived. I can't imagine what he was trying to do when he got back there. But I followed, and about a hundred yards from the house, I stopped the car. He walked into the house, and his carriage walked away. Please give me a glass of water, my mouth is dry. ”

　　(1) The driver of the two-wheeled carriage sat at the back of the carriage. - Translator's Note

　　I handed him a glass of water, which he drank.

　　He said, "It's better. Well, I waited a quarter of an hour, or a little longer, when suddenly there was a noise like a fight inside the house. Then the door suddenly opened, and two people appeared, one of whom was Coneber and the other was a young lad whom I had never seen before. The young man grabbed Cone's collar, and when they reached the edge of the steps, he pushed hard, followed by another kick, kicking Cone all the way down the street. He shouted at the stick in his hand, shaking his hand, "Dog stuff! I have taught you that you dare to insult the women of a good family! He was so furious that if the bad guy hadn't dragged his legs and fled desperately into the street, I think the boy would have beaten him with a stick. Cone ran all the way to the bend, just in time to see my carriage, so he greeted me, and jumped on the car with one foot. He said, 'Send me to the Haoliday Hotel.' ”

　　"When I saw him get into my carriage, I was overjoyed, and my heart beat very hard. I was deeply afraid that at this moment, my blood tumor would burst open. I slowly drove the carriage forward, thinking about what to do. I could have dragged him all the way to the countryside, on that desolate and deserted path, and made a general account with him. When I almost decided to do this, he suddenly solved this problem for me. At this point, his addiction flared up again, and he told me to stop outside a large hotel. He told me to wait for him as he walked in. He stayed inside until the hotel closed the market, and by the time he came out, he was already drunk, and I knew that I had won the game.

　　"Don't think I'm going to take a cold stab and put him to the point." To do so would be nothing more than a rigid execution of a stern trial. But I wouldn't do that. I had already decided to give him a chance, and if he could seize it, he could still have a glimmer of life. During those days when I was wandering in the Americas, I did all sorts of errands. I was once a janitor and sweeper of the 'York College' laboratory. One day, while the professor was explaining the poison problem, he showed the students something called bio-alkali. It was extracted from a poison made by the natives of South America to make poison arrows. This poison is very poisonous, and as long as it is stained, it can kill people immediately. I remembered where the poison was, and after they were gone, I poured a little out. I was a very good dispenser, so I made these poisons into small pills that were easy to dissolve. I put one in each box and another one that looked the same but wasn't toxic. I decided that as soon as I could get it, the two gentlemen would each get a box, and let each of them swallow one grain first, and the remaining one would be swallowed by me. Doing so, like a handkerchief shot at a muzzle, can kill a person without a sound. I've been carrying these boxes of pills with me since that day; now it's time for me to use them.

　　"It was already after midnight, and it was almost a little later. It was a stormy night. The wind was blowing hard and the rain was pouring down. Although it was a bleak sight outside, my heart was so happy that I almost cried out in joy. Gentlemen, if any of you have been thinking about something for more than twenty years, and once you have reached out, then you will understand my feelings at that time. I lit a cigar and sprayed smoke to calm my nerves. But because of the excessive excitement, my hands were shaking unceasingly, and my temples were suddenly jumping. As I drove the carriage forward, I saw old John Ferreher and the lovely Lucy looking at me in the dark and smiling. I can see it clearly, just as I see all of you in this room now. Along the way, they were always in front of me, walking one by one on either side of the horse, all the way to the empty house on Brixton Road.

　　"There was not a single figure in sight everywhere, and there was not a sound to be heard except for the sound of the pouring rain. I glanced out the window of the car and saw Cone curled up in a ball, drunk and asleep. I shook his arm and said, 'It's time to get out of the car.' ”

　　"He said, 'Okay, coachman.'"

　　"I think he thought he had arrived at the hotel he had just mentioned, and since he hadn't said anything else, he got out of the car and followed me into the garden in front of the empty house. At this time, he was still a little light-headed and unsteady. I had to help him go so I wouldn't fall. When we got to the door, I opened it and led him into the front room. I assure you that father and daughter Ferie have been walking ahead of us along the way.

　　"It's deadly dark." He said as he stomped his feet.

　　"We'll have a light in no time,' I said, and I burned a match and lit one of the candles I had brought. I turned my face to him as I held up the candle close to my face. I continued: 'Well, Inauk Cymber, now look at who I am!' ”

　　He stared at me drunkenly for half a day. Then I saw a look of horror on his face, and his whole face convulsed, indicating that he recognized me. When he ascended, his face was as frightened as earth, and he staggered backwards. I also saw large beads of sweat rolling from his forehead to his eyebrows, and his teeth were hitting up and down, making a loud noise. I saw this and couldn't help but lean against the door and laugh. I have long known that revenge is the most painful thing, but I never imagined that it would taste like this.

　　"I said: 'You dog thing!' I chased you all the way from Salt Lake City to St. Petersburg, but I always let you escape. Now your days of wandering are finally over. Because, if it's not you or me, I'll never see the sun of tomorrow again. As I spoke, he took a few steps back. I could tell from his face that he thought I was mad. At that time, I was indeed like a madman, and the blood vessels on my temples beat like a blacksmith wielding a hammer. I was convinced that if it had not been for the blood pouring out of my nostrils and making me feel at ease, my illness might have come to fruition.

　　"You say Lucy Ferreher is doing now?"' I shouted, locked the door, and held up the key in front of his eyes and dangled it a few times, 'The punishment did come too slowly, but now it finally got you caught.' I saw his two cowardly lips trembling as I spoke, and he wanted to ask for his life. However, he saw very clearly that it was useless.

　　"He stammered and said, 'Are you going to murder me?'

　　"I replied, 'There's no murder or murder.' Can killing a mad dog be said to be murder? When you dragged my poor lover away from her murderous father, when you snatched her into your goddamn, shameless new house, did you have the slightest mercy for her? ”

　　"He cried, 'It wasn't me who killed her father.'"

　　"But it was you who crushed her pure heart!' I cried out as I brought the poison box to him, 'Let God judge us.' Pick one and eat it. One grain can be fatal, one grain can be born. You pick the remaining one and I eat it. Let's see if there is still justice in the world, or we are all bumping into luck. ”

　　Frightened, he ducked to the side, shouting and begging for his life. But I pulled out my knife and went straight to the other throats, until I obediently swallowed one, and I swallowed the remaining one. We stood face to face for a minute or two, silently, waiting to see who was dead and who was alive. When a look of pain appeared on his face, he knew he had swallowed the poison. How can I forget the face of his at that time? I saw his shape, laughed unconsciously, and held up Lucy's wedding ring in front of his eyes. But all this is only a moment of effort, because the role of that biological alkali works very quickly. A spasm of pain distorted his face, and he stretched his hands forward and shook; then he screamed and fell to the ground. I flipped him over with my feet and touched his heart with my hand, my heart stopped beating, he was dead!

　　"At this point, the blood kept flowing out of my nostrils, but I didn't care. Somehow, on a whim, I wrote a word on the wall with my blood. This was perhaps due to a prank idea of leading the police into the road; for I was indeed in a very relaxed and cheerful mood at the time. I remembered that there was a german murder in New York, and the word Ratche was written on the body of the deceased. At that time, the newspapers had argued that it was the work of a secret party. I thought that this word that made New Yorkers feel confused might also confuse Londoners. So I dipped my fingers in my own blood and found a suitable place on the wall to write the word. Later, I went back to my carriage. I found that there was no one around, and the night was still stormy. After driving the carriage for a while, I put my hand in the pocket of my coat that often contained Lucy's ring, and suddenly realized that the ring was missing. I was taken aback because this thing was the only souvenir she had left behind. I think it might have fallen off when I bent over to look at the body of Cone. So I drove back in the carriage. I parked my carriage on a nearby cross-street and walked boldly toward the house; for I would rather risk anything than lose the ring. As soon as I walked to the house, I bumped into a policeman who had just come out of the house. I had to pretend to be drunk so as not to arouse other suspicions.

　　"This is what happened when Inauk Cymbeus died. What I'm going to do in the future is to do the same thing against Stan Jieson, so that I can avenge John Ferieu, who I know was in the Holliday Hotel. I wandered around the hotel all day, but he never showed up. I think it was probably because Cone had never returned, so he felt that things were a little bad. Stan Jieson is a very cunning guy, and he has always been cautious and wary. But if he thinks he can run away from me as long as he stays in his room and doesn't come out, then he's dead wrong. Soon, I figured out the window of his bedroom. The next morning, I took advantage of a ladder in the alley outside the hotel and climbed into his room in the hazy dawn. I woke him up and told him that he had killed people a long time ago, and now it was time for him to pay for his life. I told him about his death and asked him to pick up a pill as well. Unwilling to accept the chance I gave him to live, he jumped out of bed and went straight to my throat. In self-defense, I stabbed him in the heart. Whatever method was used, the result was the same, for God would never let his sinful hand pick up the non-poisonous one.

　　"I have a few more words to say, and it's better to finish, because I'm almost done." Afterwards I drove another day or two, because I wanted to work harder and save enough money to go back to America. That day, I was parking in the square when a ragged teenager asked if there was a driver named Jefferson Houbo, who said that There was a gentleman on Baker Street B who wanted to hire his car. I followed without the slightest suspicion. What I knew later was that this young man had gently handcuffed both of my hands, and the handcuffs were so clean and neat that it was rare for me to have arisen. Gentlemen, that is all I have experienced. You can think of me as a murderer, but I myself think that I am a law enforcement judge like you. ”

　　His story is so thrilling, and his attitude is so impressive, so that we can all hear God quietly. Even these two experienced professional detectives listened to them with relish. After he had finished speaking, we sat there silently, silent for a moment, only the rustle of pencils falling on paper when the last few lines of Rethrid's shorthand confession broke the silence of the room.

　　Holmes finally said, "One more thing, I wish I knew more. After I advertised, who was your party member who came to collect the ring? ”

　　The criminal naughtily squeezed his eyes at my friend and said, "I can only confess my own secrets." However, I don't want to implicate others. When I saw your ad, I thought it might be a trap, but it might be really the ring I needed. My friend volunteered to come and have a look. I think you must admit that he did this very beautifully. ”

　　"Not bad at all." Holmes said honestly.

　　At this time, the police officer said with a straight face: "Then, gentlemen, the legal formalities must be obeyed." This Thursday, this criminal will be brought before the court, and gentlemen will be present. Before the trial, he put me in charge. As he spoke, he rang the bell, and Jefferson Houbo was taken away by two guards. My friend and I left the police station and got into the carriage and went back to Baker Street.

　　FOURTEEN Epilogue

　　We were all notified in advance to appear in court on Thursday of the week. But on Thursday, there was no need for us to testify anymore. A higher judge had already taken the case, and Jefferson Houbo had been summoned to another court to give him a very fair trial. It turned out that on the night of his arrest, his aneurysm burst open. The next morning, he was found lying dead on the floor of the prison. A calm smile appeared on his face, as if at the time of his death, he looked back on the past years without wasting, and the great cause of revenge had been fulfilled.

　　The next evening, as we were gossiping about it, Holmes said, "Gladson and Rastrade know that this man is dead, and they must go mad." In this way, won't their bragging rights be finished? ”

　　I replied, "I don't see how much work the two of them have done in apprehending the killer." ”

　　My partner said bitterly, "It doesn't matter what you've done in this world." What matters is how you can convince people of what you have done. After a pause, he said easily, "It doesn't matter. Either way, I won't let this case go. In my memory, there is nothing more brilliant than this case. Although it is simple, there are a few points that deserve deep training. ”

　　"Simple!" I couldn't help but scream.

　　"Yes, it is indeed simple. Other than that, it is difficult to describe it in other words. Sherlock Holmes said. He saw the look of surprise on my face and smiled unconsciously. "You think, without any help from anyone, but after some ordinary reasoning, I actually caught this criminal in three days, which proves that the case is very simple in substance."

　　I said, "That's true. ”

　　"I have already told you that anything extraordinary is generally not an obstacle, but a clue. When solving this kind of problem, the main thing is to be able to use the method of reasoning, layer by layer of retrospective reasoning. It's a useful skill, and it's easy, but it's not often used in practice. In daily life, the forward reasoning method is more useful, so people tend to ignore the layer of backtracking. If there are fifty men who can reason comprehensively from all aspects of affairs, it is only a man who can reason by means of analysis. ”

　　I said, "To be honest, I don't quite understand what you mean." ”

　　"I also have a hard time expecting you to be able to figure it out. Let me see if I can make it clearer. Most people are like this: if you explain a series of facts to them, they can tell you the possible results, they can connect this series of facts in their minds, and by thinking, they can come up with a result. But there are a few people who, if you tell them the results, can deduce through their inner consciousness what the steps that produced the result are. This is the kind of ability I refer to when I speak of 'retrospective reasoning' or 'methods of analysis'. ”

　　I said, "I see. ”

　　"Now this case is an example, you only know the result, everything else has to be discovered by yourself." Okay, now let me explain to you as much as possible the different steps of my reasoning in this case. I started at the beginning. As you know, I walked to that house. At the time, I had no preconceived notions in my mind. Naturally, I must start by inspecting the street, and as I have already explained to you, I have clearly seen in the street the marks of the wheels of a carriage. After research, I was sure that this trace must have been left at night. Due to the narrow distance between the wheels, I concluded that this was a rental wagon rather than a self-use carriage, as usually all the rental wagons in the City of London were a bit narrower than those used by themselves.

　　"That's the first point of my observation. Then I walked slowly up the path in the garden. As it happens, the trail is a clay road, and it's particularly easy to leave a mark. There is no doubt that in your eyes, this path is nothing more than a dirt road that has been trampled on. However, in my long-tempered eyes, every trace of the path has its meaning. Of all the departments of detective science, there is nothing more important and most overlooked than the art of trackology. Fortunately, I have always attached great importance to this science; after many practices, it has become my second nature. I saw the heavy boot prints of the policemen, but I also saw the footprints of the two men who had first passed through the garden. This is easy to explain by the fact that their footprints were earlier than those of others; for it can be seen from some places that their footprints have been trampled by the footprints of later generations and have completely disappeared. So my second link is formed. This session tells me that there were two night visitors, one very tall, which I extrapolated from the length of his steps; and the other, when dressed, judging by the small and delicate boot prints he had left behind.

　　"As soon as I walked into the house, this inference was immediately confirmed. The gentleman in the beautiful boots was lying in front of me. If it was a murder case, then the tall man was the murderer. There were no wounds on the dead man's body, but the nervous, agitated expression on his face convinced me that he had anticipated his fate before he died. If it were a person who died of a heart attack or other sudden spontaneous death, under no circumstances would have such a nervous and agitated expression on their faces. I sniffed the dead man's lips and sniffed out a little sour, so I came to the conclusion that he had been forced to take poison and died. Moreover, from the look of resentment and fear on his face, I said he was forced. It is by this method of eliminating all unreasonable assumptions that I have come to this conclusion, because no other assumption can match these facts. Don't think it's an unheard of myth. The record of forced drug use in the Annals of Crimes is by no means news, and any toxicologist would immediately think of the case of Dorski in Odessa and the case of Mumpellier's Returiya.

　　"Now it's time to talk about the big question of 'why'. The purpose of the murder was not to rob, for there was nothing missing in the body of the deceased. So, is this a political case or a love murder case? That's the problem I was facing. My idea comparison is one after lifting. Because in political assassinations, the murderer is bound to flee as soon as he succeeds. But this murder was the opposite, very unaffordable, and the murderer left his footprints everywhere in the house. This shows that he has been on the scene from beginning to end. Therefore, this must be a vendetta, not a political one, and only a vendetta requires such deliberate retaliation. When the blood on the wall was discovered, I became even more convinced of this opinion of my own. This is the reason why the cloth is suspicious, and you will know it at a glance. When the ring is discovered, the problem is determined. Apparently, the killer used the ring to remind the victim of a woman who had died or was not present. On this point, I once asked Gladson whether, in his telegram to Cleveland, he asked if there had been any outstanding questions in Coneber's past experiences. You can also recall that he replied at the time that he had no problem.

　　"After that, I began to examine the room carefully. The results of the examination made me sure that the murderer was a tall man, and some other details were also found: indian cigar smoke, the murderer's long nails, etc. Because there was no sign of beatings in the house, it was concluded that the blood on the floor was the nosebleed that the murderer shed when he was agitated. I found that wherever there was blood, there were his footprints. Unless it is a person with strong blood, there are usually very few people who will bleed so much when they are emotionally excited. So, I boldly believe that this criminal may be a strong, red-faced man. Later, the facts proved that my judgment was correct.

　　"After I left the house, I went to do what Gladson had neglected to do. I sent a telegram to the Cleveland Police Chief asking only about in Nauk Coneber's marriage, and the call back was clear. The telegram said that Cone had accused an old enemy named Jefferson Houbo, who was currently in Europe, had asked for legal protection. I knew then that I had the clue to this secret case. All that remains to be done is to catch the murderer steadily.

　　"I had already concluded in my mind that it was no one else who had walked into the house with Coneber, but the one who had driven the carriage.

　　"Because I can see from some of the marks on the street that the horses pulling the cart have moved casually, and if someone were to drive it, it would not be possible." If the driver of the car is not in this house, then where can he go? It is also ridiculous to think that any sane man would commit a long-planned crime in the presence of a third party who is sure to divulge his secret. Finally, if one were to follow another person around the city of London, was there a better way than to be a coachman? Having considered these questions, I came to the inevitable conclusion that Jefferson Houpo, a man, must be sought among the taxi coachmen of the capital.

　　"If he had been a coachman, there would be no reason to believe that he would have stopped doing so. On the contrary, for his sake, a sudden change of work is more likely to attract the attention of his servants. He will continue to pursue his profession for at least some time. It doesn't make sense to think that he is now using a pseudonym; why would he change his name in a country where no one knows his real name? So I formed a reconnaissance company of some street children and sent them to every carriage factory in the City of London to inquire until they found the man I was looking for. How beautiful they did, and how quickly and conveniently I used this team, you remember this very well. As for the murder of Stan Jiesson, it was indeed a completely unexpected event. However, these contingencies, in any case, are difficult to avoid. You already know that in this incident, I found two pills. I had long thought that there must be such a thing. You see, the whole case is a logically connected, uninterrupted chain. ”

　　"It's wonderful!" I couldn't help but cry out, "These skills of yours should be made public so that everyone knows." You should publish the case. If you don't want to, I'll publish it for you. ”

　　"Do whatever you want, doctor," he replied, "and look at this!" He said as he handed me a newspaper, "Look at this! ”

　　This is today's Echo newspaper, and the paragraph he refers to is exactly what we are talking about in this case.

　　The newspaper said: Because of the sudden death of Hou Bo, the social people have lost a sensational piece of talking material. Houpo was suspected in the murder of Mr. Inauq Cymber and Mr. Joseph Stanjerson. Although we have learned from the authorities concerned that this is a long-standing peach dispute criminal case involving issues such as love and Mormonism. But the inside story of this case may never be revealed now. It is reported that both victims were Mormons when they were young. Hou Bo, the deceased detainee, was also from Salt Lake City. If this case serves no other purpose, at least it can at least give a very prominent indication of the speed with which our detectives can solve the case, and it is enough to warn all foreigners and the like; it is better that they settle their disputes within their own country, and that it is better not to bring them to the land of Britain. It is an open secret that the speed of solving the case has been attributed entirely to the two well-known Scottish Yard officials, Mr. Restrade and Gladson. The killer was arrested at the home of a Mr. Sherlock Holmes. As a private investigator, Sherlock Holmes also showed a certain talent in detective work, and he was expected to achieve a certain degree under the guidance of such two mentors. It is generally estimated that these two officials will receive some kind of reward as a tribute to their hard work.

　　Sherlock Holmes laughed and said, "Didn't I say that to you at the beginning?" That's all we got from our study of blood letters: they earned them a compliment! ”

　　I replied, "It doesn't matter, all the facts are recorded in my notebook, and the society will know the truth." Now that the case has been solved, you should be satisfied, as the Roman scrooge said:

　　Laugh and scold by you, I do it myself;

　　The family has a lot of treasures, and I appreciate it alone. ”